


#fictober18 - Twenty-three - “This is not new, it only feels like it.”

by khurst



Series: #fictober18 [23]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M, Laughing with Blue Lips add-on, Voytober18, fictober18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 14:11:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16389203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khurst/pseuds/khurst
Summary: #fictober18 piece to the prompt: “This is not new, it only feels like it.”Laughing with Blue Lips additional scene





	#fictober18 - Twenty-three - “This is not new, it only feels like it.”

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Laughing With Blue Lips](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7670866) by [khurst](https://archiveofourown.org/users/khurst/pseuds/khurst). 



> as usual unabashedly unbeta'd
> 
> I felt utterly uninspired by today's prompt until I remembered one of my own stories: [_Laughing with Blue Lips_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7670866/chapters/17469793)  
>  It's not entirely necessary to read it, but if you're wondering what happened to Kathryn's hand, that's where you can find out.

The very moment the Doctor released the locking mechanism, Kathryn pulled out her hand and held it before her face. She carefully flexed the fingers, made a fist and released it. Then breathed a sigh of relief.

“This is not new, it only feels like it.” The Doctor muttered as he ran a tricorder over it a last time. “But I can assure you it is as _good_ as new.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” She grasped the hand he held before her and squeezed until he signalled her to let go. “It feels strange.”

“Give it a few hours to feel normal,” he walked over to his station and return with a Padd. “Now this is a physical therapy regiment you can do in your own quarters. In a few weeks, you should have your full strength back. I’ll send the specifications for the items you need to your replicator. Please make sure you follow this plan to the latter for a speedy recovery.”

He held the Padd out to her and Kathryn reached for it with her newly released hand. Underestimating her still weak grip, the Padd dropped onto the biobed next to her. Before she had a chance to pick t up with her strong hand, Chakotay was next to her and grabbed it.

“I’ll make sure she does her exercises to your standard, Doctor.”

She squinted at him in mock anger but was relieved to see him. It was her signal to leave sickbay and finally return to her duties. God, she was bored. And now that she had use of both hands again, she couldn’t wait to go to the bridge.

Without a look back she left sickbay and marched for the turbolift. Chakotay, however, derailed her plans and ordered the lift to deck three. He accompanied her to her quarters and entered them without invitation. Not that he needed one, or that she would have withheld it.

Kathryn purposefully strode to the replicator and ordered a coffee. Free of sickbay and the Doctor’s watchful eyes she was intent on making up for all the cup he withheld from her during her stay in his domain.

She miscalculated however and when she turned around pulling the cup from the replicator with her dominant hand, it slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the floor. For a moment she stood there, looking at the puddle of coffee at her feet, the stain slowly spreading into the carpet. Then she closed her useless hand in a fist and groaned.

“Don’t worry about it,” Chakotay stepped close, “I’ll buy you a new one. And then we can get started on your physical therapy.”

Kathryn took her seat on the sofa and watched Chakotay. He’d been with her in sickbay every day, even through her terrible mood swings. She had apologized, of course, and he had laughed it off and blamed the coffee withdrawal and boredom. Kathryn Janeway’s two vices. But his daily visits had kept her sane and it was time she made it up to him.

“What exactly does this regiment entail?” She had not looked at the Padd.

Chakotay put the coffee down in front of her and activated the Padd, then looked at her pointedly and grinned.

“What?”

“All of these come down to building up your muscles again by clenching and stretching your hand basically.” He waited for the penny to drop and when it finally did mischief filled her face.

“So, I can just grab and release things,” her tongue trailed her lower lip. “Anything, really?”

“Anything,” he scooted closer to her, “as long as you keep up a steady rhythm for a while.”

“Oh, I can keep a steady rhythm.”

  
  



End file.
